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Many patients with chronic wounds have skin changes that can provide important clues as to the etiology of the wound and/or inappropriate treatment. As the largest human organ, the skin is easily accessible for clinical inspection. However, healthcare professional teams currently do not always assess and document these skin changes correctly and consistently. The board of the professional society Initiative Chronische Wunden (ICW) e. V. has therefore decided to draw up a position paper to clarify the most important technical terms for skin changes around wounds. One focus here is on the definition and differentiated description of the wound edge and wound surrounding skin. Atrophies, blisters, eczema, erythema, hemorrhages, hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, hyperkeratosis, maceration, necrosis, oedema, pustules, sclerosis and scales are then described in more detail and placed in a clinical context., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Background: Chronic pruritus affecting primary non-lesional skin (CPNL) manifests as a common symptom across a spectrum of diseases spanning various medical specialties. Given the diverse etiological factors involved, diagnosing the underlying condition poses a significant challenge., Objectives: To provide a comprehensive overview of clinical, laboratory, and imaging diagnostics for CPNL., Materials and Methods: A thorough literature search on the diagnostics of chronic pruritus was conducted using PubMed with specific keywords "chronic pruritus AND non-lesional skin", "chronic itch AND non-lesional skin", "chronic pruritus AND diagnostics", "chronic itch AND diagnostics", "CKD-aP", "hepatic pruritus", "cholestatic pruritus", and "myeloproliferative neoplasms AND pruritus"., Results: A systematic diagnostic approach is recommended for patients with CPNL, guided by the prevalence of pruritus-associated diseases. Initial basic diagnostics facilitate a cost-effective and focused evaluation during the initial medical assessment. Information pertaining to underlying diseases can be further refined through specialized diagnostic procedures., Conclusions: CPNL often presents a diagnostic dilemma. Adopting a stepwise diagnostic strategy facilitates the identification of underlying etiologies, which is crucial for recognizing diseases and administering pruritus-specific pharmacotherapy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Inborn errors of immunity (IEI) can affect different parts of the immune system and manifest especially through pathological infection susceptibility and immune dysregulation. Cutaneous manifestations of IEI can hint at the underlying immunodeficiency and the tendency for infection and inflammation. These manifestations can present as recurring eczema, erythema, abscesses, and hair loss with poor response to therapy. Cutaneous manifestations can be specific for certain IEI, or rather unspecific. Together with clinical course and severity, they can indicate the diagnosis. Early and accurate recognition, diagnosis, and treatment are crucial for optimizing patient outcomes. The diagnosis can be determined through a detailed patient history, clinical examination, and immunological diagnostics. Collaboration between immunologists and dermatologists is vital for comprehensive care and improvement of life quality., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is the most important patient-reported outcome in clinical trials and patient care. HRQoL is further considered as target variable in treatment guidelines and as outcome indicator in the evaluation of the quality of care. Numerous validated questionnaires are available for the assessment of HRQoL from the perspective of patients with skin diseases. However, many are of inadequate methodological quality, indicating the need for further research in the development of high-quality measurement instruments. The implementation of routine electronic HRQoL assessments is a promising approach., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Scleredema adultorum of Buschke is an important differential diagnosis in sclerosing diseases. Diagnosis is based on the typical histology with mucin deposits and grossly increased dermal width and a clinical presentation of diffuse non-pitting induration of the skin starting at the nape of the neck and interscapular region extending to shoulders and upper thorax, causing dysmobility due to dermal stiffness. Even though the pathogenesis remains unclear, three subtypes can be distinguished: association with infections, paraproteins, or most frequently with diabetes mellitus. Management of the disease includes physiotherapy, physical therapies such as ultraviolet (UV) or ionizing irradiation, intravenous immunoglobulins and interdisciplinary treatment directed at associated diseases. Optimizing diabetes therapy and thereby decreasing insulin use may confer significant improvement., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Background: Anogenital disorders encompass a broad spectrum of conditions with diverse pathogenetic origins, often presenting with nonspecific symptoms and overlapping causative factors, thereby posing diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Effective management requires interdisciplinary knowledge and the use of medical guidelines. Guidelines can play an important role in translating current knowledge into clinical practice and ensuring consistent care, minimizing complications, and optimizing patient outcomes., Objective: The dermatologically relevant guidelines for anogenital disorders, categorized by etiological groups, are reviewed., Materials and Methods: A selective literature review was conducted, incorporating data from the guideline repository of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF)., Results: A broad range of current guidelines pertinent to the management of anogenital disorders with relevance for dermatologists is available. These encompass guidelines for the management of chronic inflammatory dermatoses with (potential) involvement of the anogenital region, such as anal eczema, psoriasis, lichen sclerosus, or lichen ruber, as well as sexually transmitted infections and associated conditions, involving a broad range of pathogens, including gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, or human papillomaviruses (HPV)-associated disorders. In this article, we provide an overview of the available guidelines., Conclusion: The present article does not claim to be exhaustive. The validity of the mentioned guidelines and the availability of updates needs to be verified in each case., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Background: With an ageing society the incidences of skin diseases increase., Objective: The most important skin diseases in geriatric patients are discussed., Material and Methods: A literature search was conducted using the PubMed database and standard dermatological textbooks., Results: Skin diseases in geriatric patients are often more susceptible to external influences and can be affected by visceral diseases. Due to a delayed diagnosis, malignant skin diseases in geriatric patients are first diagnosed at a higher stage., Conclusion: Physiological skin changes are to be treated with appropriate care. In the case of unclear skin changes, a timely dermatological check-up is to be done., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: With increasing shortage of medical personnel also in the medical care in German correctional facilities, telemedicine has been used since 2016, initially in projects and then for regular medical care. Since 2019, there is the possibility of dermatological expertise in regular video consultations., Objective: The benefits of an interdisciplinary online consultation with video and store and forward technology for dermatological issues are highlighted in terms of efficiency and feasibility., Material and Methods: A descriptive analysis of 450 dermatological video consultations for German correctional facilities from February 2020 to July 2022 was carried out with respect to procedures, indications and demand., Results: Requests were made via a standardised form with optional photographs, which were sent via a secure cloud to the dermatology department in store and forward mode. The majority of cases could be presented live in a regular weekly video consultation and only single cases required an acute presentation within 24 h. The spectrum of skin diseases was comparable to cases presenting to a dermatology outpatient clinic. The interdisciplinary consultation management together with colleagues from general medicine enabled the transfer of the cases to the medical personnel at the correctional facility on site for follow-up and further medical procedures. Treatment could be started in all cases without delay., Conclusion: Teledermatology represents an important contribution to medical care in German correctional facilities and the interdisciplinary cooperation saves time and resources in the presentation and treatment of skin diseases., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

The histomorphological analysis of tissue sections by specially trained dermatopathologists is a central component for making the dermatological diagnosis. It is the foundation for the understanding of clinical aspects, pathophysiology and not least the treatment of skin diseases and is therefore an essential part of modern dermatology. New technological developments in recent years offer a variety of possibilities to digitalize dermatopathology, which could significantly change and even revolutionize the work of dermatopathologists in the coming years; however, like any new development there are limiting factors and open questions that need to be discussed. This article is intended to provide an overview of the current state of the art and to highlight the corresponding opportunities and risks on the road to digital dermatopathology., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

The group of granulomatous dermatoses refers to a multitude of clinically different diseases, which are characterized by a histopathologically similar pattern of inflammation. The cause of granulomatous inflammatory reactions can be infections and also noninfectious stimuli, such as cell disintegration or foreign bodies. The aim of this immunological defence reaction is encapsulation in order to prevent further spread and delimitation from healthy tissue. This is histologically expressed as a granuloma in the sense of a circumscribed aggregation of histiocytes and multinucleated giant cells mostly in dermal connective tissue. The following can be histologically differentiated: sarcoid granuloma characterized by a sparse lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate and tuberculous granuloma with central necrosis and denser lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate. Neutrophilic granulocytes together with macrophages occur in suppurative granulomas and palisaded granulomas are characterized by peripherally arrayed macrophages., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a systemic disease induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that frequently presents with skin manifestations. The five most common skin lesions are pseudo-chilblain and maculopapular, urticarial, vesicular, and livedo/necrotizing skin lesions. These skin lesions are of diagnostic and prognostic relevance. For example, in children, typical skin lesions may indicate a life-threatening inflammatory syndrome, which rarely occurs after corona infection. Skin lesions have also been described after COVID-19 vaccination. These usually show an uncomplicated, self-limiting course and therefore do not represent a contraindication for completing the vaccination status in the vast majority of cases., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Background: The persistent global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can manifest on the skin in addition to the already known organ systems. Various clinical patterns of skin manifestations associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been described. In view of the associated morbidity and mortality, knowledge of cutaneous manifestations in the setting of COVID-19 may be helpful in early detection, risk stratification, diagnosis and treatment. Thus, we provide a summary of the various dermatologic findings associated with COVID-19, including clinical presentation, current pathophysiological concepts, and management, to support early diagnosis and treatment., Goal: The current literature regarding skin lesions associated with COVID-19 and the most important aspects are analyzed., Materials and Methods: A literature search was performed in PubMed and Medline databases until February 28, 2021., Results and Conclusion: The classification of skin manifestations in the context of SARS-CoV‑2 infection according to clinical dermatological patterns can help to identify patients with increased risk at an early stage and to treat them adequately to counteract a possibly more severe course of the disease as it occurs, e.g., in livedo. Thus, knowledge of the pathophysiological mechanisms can improve management of the disease and support possible countermeasures in coping with the disease., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Excisions and biopsies are firmly anchored in everyday dermatology. The biopsy, excision or diagnostic-therapeutic confirmation of the clinical diagnosis of neoplasms or inflammatory diseases is decisive for the dermatopathological diagnosis of tissue samples. Dermatopathology, however, is not a magic box into which a tissue sample can be placed without comment or information and receive-within 24 h at the latest-a complete, high-quality diagnosis. The present article describes problems, hurdles, and challenges in everyday dermatopathology that occur on the way to the microscope, even before the actual dermatopathological diagnosis takes place., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Background: In recent years, the introduction of the E‑Health Act and the relaxation of the ban on remote treatment has improved the framework for telemedicine in Germany., Objectives: The aim of this article is to present an overview of the evidence of different areas of application for teledermatology., Materials and Methods: A narrative review of national and international studies and projects on the use of teledermatology for diagnosis, monitoring of diseases, triage between primary care physicians (PCPs) and dermatologists, and its use in facilities with reduced organizational and/or geographical access to specialist care was conducted., Results: Diagnostic applications allow teledermatological assessment in a large proportion of cases, with high concordance of diagnosis and patient satisfaction. For the monitoring of patients, the majority of studies demonstrated no difference in effectiveness between on-site and remote consultation, while patients are spared travel distance and waiting time. For programs enabling triage most of the patients with dermatologic conditions were able to remain with the PCP, while acute patients requiring direct referral to a dermatologist were identified. In special facilities, such as prisons, dermatological teleconsultations are successfully utilized., Conclusion: An adequate framework and promising evidence for the use of teledermatology exist. The areas of application are described in detail within the German S2k guideline for teledermatology. However, there is a potential risk for decreased access to telemedicine services for certain population groups., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

In accordance with § 202 SGB VII, physicians in Germany have a legal obligation to report to the statutory accident insurance institution any justified suspicion of an occupational disease. With regard to skin diseases, various occupational disease numbers (Berufskrankheitennummer = BK No.) can be considered, depending on the type of disease and the type of exposure, e.g. BK No. 3101, 3102, 3104, BK No. 5102 and others in addition to the most common BK No. 5101 and BK No. 5103. The prerequisite for a well-founded suspicion is that occupational effects exist or existed which can be brought into a causal relationship with the skin disease. Form F6000 "Medical notification of a suspected occupational disease" is used for reporting. In the case of the numerically most significant BK No. 5101, there is the special feature that even if the skin disease is classified as occupationally caused, but not as severe or repeatedly relapsing, according to § 41 (1) of the contract between physicians and the accident insurance institutions, every physician is obliged to immediately present the insured person to a dermatologist so that the so-called dermatologist procedure can be initiated to enable the rapid initiation of prevention. Since 1 January 2021, it has been stipulated that the dermatologist's report must be submitted in every case-i.e. both when there is merely the possibility and when there is a well-founded suspicion of the existence of a BK No. 5101. This ensures that preventive measures can be quickly and effectively implemented.

The skin is the primary interface between the body and the environment. It is exposed to a variety of external physical factors to which it must respond in a dynamic manner. In the following review such cutaneous reactions to physical damage are discussed under the aspects of rheumatological differential diagnoses. In particular, circumscribed hyperpigmentation and hyperkeratosis, reactive patterns to cold, with or without humidity, and lightning are presented. Most of these disorders do not need extensive laboratory investigations or imaging techniques. Knowledge of such cutaneous disease symptoms due to physical damage prevents overdiagnostics and possible overtreatment.

Background: Teledermatology addresses the problems associated with the lack of specialists and the often long waiting time for an appointment with a dermatologist. The research project Online Dermatologist-AppDoc enables a fast anonymous expert opinion and was approved on 22 October 2018 by the Landesärztekammer Baden-Württemberg for 2 years as a model project., Objectives: The aim of the present work is the presentation of the first real healthcare data for German teledematology within the framework of the external quality assurance of the model project Online Dermatologist-AppDoc., Materials and Methods: Anonymous data records submitted to Online Dermatologist-AppDoc between 21 November 2018 and 1 August 2019 were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively at the Department of Dermatology of the University Hospital Essen. In addition to the evaluation of the data records submitted so far, 100 cases submitted underwent a second assessment by a board-certified dermatologist to assess concordance., Results: A total of 1364 cases (60.4% men, 39.6% women) were included in the current first external scientific evaluation. In 90.3% of the cases, remote diagnosis was possible. The two most frequent diagnoses were different forms of eczema (n = 270) and nevi (n = 163). Almost two thirds of the patients (64.3%) could be treated teledermatologically only. The random second examination of 100 cases resulted in an agreement of the diagnosis including the differential diagnosis/diagnoses in 97% of the cases., Conclusions: The first external scientific evaluation of the teledermatological model project Online Dermatologist-AppDoc indicates that the reduction of spatial and temporal barriers of a dermatological examination as well as the teledermatological triage have been so far successful.

Background: In recent years, many medical specialties with a visual focus have been revolutionized by image analysis algorithms using artificial intelligence (AI). As dermatology belongs to this field, it has the potential to play a pioneering role in the use of AI., Objective: The current use of AI for the diagnosis and follow-up of dermatoses is reviewed and the future potential of these technologies is discussed., Materials and Methods: This article is based on a selective review of the literature using Embase and MEDLINE and the keywords "psoriasis", "eczema", "dermatoses" and "acne" combined with "artificial intelligence", "machine learning", "deep learning", "neural network", "computer-guided", "supervised machine learning" or "unsupervised machine learning" were searched., Results: In comparison to examiner-dependent intra- and interindividually fluctuating scores for the assessment of inflammatory dermatoses (e.g. the Psoriasis Areas Severity Index [PASI] and body surface area [BSA]), AI-based algorithms can potentially offer reproducible, standardized evaluations of these scores. Whereas promising algorithms have already been developed for the diagnosis of psoriasis, there is currently only scarce work on the use of AI in the context of eczema., Conclusions: The latest developments in this field show the enormous potential of AI-based diagnostics and follow-up of dermatological clinical pictures by means of an autonomous computer-based image analysis. These noninvasive, optical examination methods provide valuable additional information, but dermatological interaction remains indispensable in daily clinical practice.

Background: There is an increasing need by general practitioners (GPs) for consultations regarding skin diseases or skin lesions. Teledermatological and teledermoscopic diagnoses are possible with good results., Objectives: This descriptive study analyzed whether the increasing need for dermatological consultations could be improved by regional teledermatological and teledermoscopic triage between GPs and dermatologists., Materials and Methods: Via an internet platform, six GPs sent images of unclear skin diseases or skin lesions to a dermatology practice (2 dermatologists) over a period of 9 months. Possible triage answers were (1) stay at the GP, (2) urgent consultation at the dermatologist (days), or (3) later (week/months) consultation at the dermatologist, respectively, with the diagnosis and therapeutic suggestions. A feedback (grade 1-6) were given by the dermatologists about the image quality and from the GPs about the appraisal. The dermatologists' appraisals were done independently and were audited by a third dermatologist., Results: The patients' acceptance was 100% and a very good to good image quality was achieved in 94%; 66.3% of patients could stay at their GP and 20.7% of patients should come urgently to the dermatologist. The teletriage decisions of an urgent consultation at the dermatologist were confirmed in 41.5%. The GPs' feedback about the teletriage appraisal received an overall average grade of 1.1., Conclusion: Successful regional teledermatological and teledermoscopic triage between GPs and dermatologists is possible. Specifications on data privacy laws must be followed and an appropriate remuneration is preferable.

Background and Objectives: Treatment of severe dermatological autoimmune diseases and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) with high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is a well-established procedure in dermatology. As treatment with IVIg is usually considered for rare clinical entities or severe cases, the use of immunoglobulin is not generally based on data from randomized controlled trials usually required for evidence-based medicine. Since the indications for the use of IVIg are rare, it is unlikely that such studies will be available in the foreseeable future. Because first-line use is limited by the high costs of IVIg, the first clinical guidelines on the use of IVIg in dermatological conditions were established in 2008 and renewed in 2011., Methods: The European guidelines presented here were prepared by a panel of experts nominated by the European Dermatology Forum (EDF) and European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV). The guidelines were developed to update the indications for treatment currently considered effective and to summarize the evidence for the use of IVIg in dermatological autoimmune diseases and TEN., Results and Conclusion: The current guidelines represent consensual expert opinions and definitions on the use of IVIg reflecting current published evidence and are intended to serve as a decision-making tool for the use of IVIg in dermatological diseases.

Chronic skin lesions that occur in patients who have previously stayed in tropical countries pose a diagnostic challenge for physicians. In particular, if there is a granulomatous inflammatory reaction histologically, infectious diseases should also be included in the differential diagnosis. Particularly in persons returning from high-risk regions such as Vietnam, this includes cutaneous tuberculosis, which entails a thorough examination of the patient and comprehensive therapy. This case study shows which steps should be considered if cutaneous tuberculosis is suspected.

Background: Since the establishment of dermoscopy as a routine examination procedure in dermatology, the spectrum of noninvasive, optical devices has further expanded. In difficult-to-diagnose clinical cases, these systems may support dermatologists to arrive at a correct diagnosis without the need for a surgical biopsy., Objective: To give an overview about technical background, indications and diagnostic performance regarding four new optical procedures: reflectance confocal microscopy, in vivo multiphoton tomography, dermatofluoroscopy, and systems based on image analysis by artificial intelligence (AI)., Materials and Methods: This article is based on a selective review of the literature, as well as the authors' personal experience from clinical studies relevant for market approval of the devices., Results: In contrast to standard histopathological slides with vertical cross sections, reflectance confocal microscopy and in vivo multiphoton tomography allow for "optical biopsies" with horizontal cross sections. Dermatofluoroscopy and AI-based image analyzers provide a numerical score, which helps to correctly classify a skin lesion. The presented new optical procedures may be applied for the diagnosis of skin cancer as well as inflammatory skin diseases., Conclusion: The presented optical procedures provide valuable additional information that supports dermatologists in making the correct diagnosis. However, a surgical biopsy followed by dermatohistopathological examination remains the diagnostic gold standard in dermatology.

CME: Chronic Generalized Pruritus without Dermatological Cause Abstract. Chronic generalized pruritus is a common symptom. Dermatological causes must be distinguished from non-dermatological causes. Non-dermatological chronic pruritus has many causes, such as systemic, infectious, neurological, psychogenic disorders, and drug-related side effects, some of which may be associated with significant morbidity. The possibility of a systemic disease should be considered in patients with generalized pruritus and no signs of primary skin lesions. In addition to a careful history and physical examination, selected laboratory examinations can be helpful in making a diagnosis. Pruritus can be the first sign of a malignant hematological disease. Pruritus associated with solid tumors is not that rare. This article offers an approach to chronic generalized pruritus in adults without concomitant skin changes with a viable clarification strategy and consideration of the most important differential diagnoses.

Modern concept of pruritus diagnosis and therapy Abstract. Pruritus can be best treated when the cause of itching is known, allowing a targeted treatment. To find the cause of itching it is recommended to consult the itch classification system of the «International Forum for the Study of Itch» (IFSI). In here three groups of conditions are distinguished: Pruritus on diseased (inflamed) skin (group I) is caused by a pruritic skin disorder that has to be diagnosed properly; correct treatment of the skin disorder will be the treatment of pruritus. Pruritus on non-diseased (non-inflamed) skin (group II) can be due to an internal disease or a consequence of drugs; elimination of the cause - as far as possible - will also eliminate itch. In pruritus presenting with severe chronic secondary scratch lesions (group III) the aim will be to prevent patients from further scratching. If causative treatment is not possible or the cause of itch remains unknown a symptomatic treatment will be seeked following a step-by-step procedure. In a step 1 a basic therapy with moisturizers and anthistamines is recommended. Step 2 comprises a symptomatic causative adapted therapy. In step 3 phototherapy and systemic treatments are considered including the use of anticonvulsants, antidepressants or anti-inflammatory agents.

Skin changes as a characteristic of internal diseases Abstract. Numerous skin changes are of great importance, as they can be groundbreaking for basic internal diseases or indicate associated complications or side effects of therapies. The early detection of such marker manifestations allows immediate action to prevent potentially serious consequences. For example, specific skin changes in limited forms of collagenosis may not only be diagnostically significant, but also prognostically significant, which allows gentler therapies if the course of the disease is more favourable. The most important prerequisite for a correct diagnosis of cutaneous lesions is a careful and complete skin status with additional consideration of the adjacent mucous membranes and skin appendages. In a first step, the primary anatomical site, morphology and lesion location should be identified and then the distribution assessed. This article describes more frequent skin manifestations in diseases of different organ systems (with the exception of infections, less frequent metabolic disorders and drug side effects).

The skin is one of the organs most commonly affected by vasculitis and the only one that is open to direct inspection. Cutaneous vasculitis can be part of a systemic vasculitis, a variant restricted to the skin (e.g. systemic and cutaneous IgA1 vasculitis) or an independent cutaneous form (recurrent macular vasculitis in hypergammaglobulinemia, nodular vasculitis). For the nomenclature and classification of cutaneous vasculitides the scheme of the Chapel Hill Consensus Conference can be used and the vessels mainly affected determine the clinical picture of individual forms of vasculitis. Some cutaneous efflorescences and their distribution are so characteristic for certain forms of vasculitis that they provide diagnostic indications or even diagnostic criteria. A palpable purpura on the legs is typical for involvement of postcapillary venules in the context of immune complex vasculitis. If arterioles or venules in the dermis are additionally affected, the clinical presentation is that of plaques with marginal offshoots and central hemorrhagic blisters or necrosis (retiform purpura). In contrast to the purpura in occluding vasculopathies, which shows no or little surrounding erythema, the purpura in vasculitis is accompanied by an inflammatory erythema. In vasculitides of the arterioles and small-caliber arteries in the subcutaneous tissue, visible or only palpable nodules exist surrounded by an irregular livedo or also retiform purpura. Understanding how vasculitis-induced efflorescence arises and the histological manifestations helps their recognition during physical examinations in daily practice and is an important guide in the diagnosis and classification of vasculitides.

Cutaneous vasculitides present with typical clinical signs depending on the size and distribution of the affected vessels. Since there are no large vessels in the skin, giant cell arteritis and Takayasu's arteritis only rarely lead to cutaneous symptoms. The classical systemic polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is very rare. More frequent is cutaneous PAN presenting with a typical localized livedo racemosa and palpable subcutaneous nodules. The ANCA-associated vasculitides, which belong to the small vessel vasculitides, usually show systemic involvement and manifest on the skin with a diverse picture. Immune complex vasculitides are characterized by deposition of immunoglobulins on the walls of small vessels. The most common form is IgA vasculitis with the cardinal symptoms of palpable, round or oval and partially branched (retiform) purpura and a clear predilection for the legs. Serum disease is a príme example of systemic immune complex diseases due to large circulating immune complexes. Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis primarily involves small as well as medium sized vessels. Simultaneous involvement of vessels of different sizes is characteristic for vasculitis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis and sarcoidosis. Recurrent macular vasculitis in hypergammaglobulinemia is an episodic macular vasculitis of the small blood vessels. Bacteremic vasculitis of the small vessels (without direct microbial infection of the vessel wall) can typically also affect capillaries of dermal papillae and is usually accompanied by a disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). In some cases more than one distinct cutaneous vasculitis can occur in the same patient.

Background: Health care for the increasing number of patients with chronic illnesses has become a major challenge to the politics of public health, especially in rural areas. Follow-up care for those patients requires a great amount of resources. Apart from managing appointments, patients often have to accept long journeys and waiting times., Objective: Implementation of teledermatology solutions, providing telemedicine care for patients with skin diseases in structurally weak regions. Using the example of the region Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV), the main focus was to build and expand a telemedicine structure in an area where the number of registered specialist physicians is expected to continually decline. A further objective was to intensify the cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary cooperation between physicians and dermatologists, as well as hospitals (teleconsultation module)., Methods: To ensure the highest level of comprehensive care, the project partners currently involved are: 10 dermatologists, 95 physicians, 10 emergency departments of hospitals and one rehabilitation clinic in MV. The challenge of designing a solution that incorporates complex medical data, as well as adhering to the legal requirements of data protection and data security (GDPR, eHealth law, eHealth initiative), has been met., Results and Discussion: An innovative solution to support the care of patients with chronic skin diseases or wounds has been developed and implemented. Mobile applications and web applications have been designed and are running on the secure telematics platform. The teleconsultation module is being used., Conclusion: Teledermatolocial solutions offer measurable benefits to patients and health care providers and can be seamlessly incorporated into existing settings.

Background: For sufficient treatment of patients with chronic inflammatory skin diseases, new concepts need to be established and biomarkers must be identified., Objective: Presentation of new markers, their quality and implications for the clinical daily routine., Material and Methods: This article presents a discussion of basic research and a review of current achievements of personalized medicine in the area of chronic inflammatory skin diseases., Results: Promising biomarker for the various entities of chronic inflammatory skin diseases have been proposed; however, they need to be prospectively validated and translated into affordable and feasible tests., Conclusion: There is still a long way to go to establish personalized medicine in the field of chronic inflammatory skin diseases and its success is dependent on multicenter collaboration to validate and implement novel biomarkers.

Evaluation of skin diseases can be challenging for non-dermatologists. Even obvious well-characterized skin pathologies might be misleading and thus treatment can fail. Particularly the differentiation of surgical treated entities is important, for example the management of a wound healing disturbance profoundly differs from that of a pyoderma gangrenosum. This article outlines several easily mistaken pairs of dermatologic entities on one hand and surgical on the other. For example, a livedo vasculopathy can be confused with a leg ulcer, a nail melanoma with a simple hematoma and finally a hidradenitis suppurativa with an axillary abscess. Typical clinical signs and anamnestic data may often lead to the right diagnosis also assisted by the simple fact to "keep it in mind"., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Diseases of the skin are the cause of approximately one fifth of outpatient visits to general practitioners (GPs) in Germany. GPs are expected to be competent in both knowledge and skills required to manage dermatological diseases, but making the correct diagnosis can be challenging facing the broad clinical spectrum of dermatological disorders. Knowledge of morphological characteristics is essential in the accurate diagnosis of a dermatological condition and to ensure optimal patient care. The objective of this dossier is to provide an overview of common dermatological diseases in daily routine, with a focus on acute and chronic-inflammatory dermatoses. The most important dermatological diseases were sorted by three anatomic regions (face, trunk and lower leg), and an overview on the respective differential diagnoses is provided., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Background: Skin diseases affect 30-70% of the world population, and globally, skin cancer rates are continuously increasing. In this respect, prevention programs and early detection of skin diseases are of particular importance., Objectives: To screen sewer workers for skin diseases with regard to their work-related risk., Methods: Employees of the municipal utilities in Munich (Münchner Stadtentwässerung) underwent a whole-body examination of the skin, conducted by two dermatologists. In addition, all employees completed a paper-based questionnaire on risk behavior and preventive measures., Results: We examined 81 employees (79 men, 2 women, mean age 45.7 ± 9.5 years). Skin lesions in need of treatment were found in 30.9% (n = 25): the most frequent diagnosis was mycosis pedis (16.1%). In addition, one employee was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma and two with actinic keratoses. According to the questionnaire, 43.5% of the employees had undergone a physician-led skin cancer screening in the past, whereas sun-protection practices were rarely applied., Conclusion: According to our findings, employee skin cancer screening seems to be beneficial for the detection of work-related skin diseases and is associated with a high participation rate. Furthermore, the study suggests that sewer workers have a high rate of mycosis pedis, possibly a work-related effect.

Compared with adulthood, inflammatory skin diseases are relatively rarely biopsied in children. Apart from the invasiveness of the procedure, the required local anesthesia, and the risks of infection and scarring, the psychological trauma of the operation has a higher impact in childhood. If a biopsy is performed, expectations towards the dermatopathology report are high. However, the evaluation of biopsies taken from children is challenging for the dermatopathologist: on the one hand, because the biopsies are often tiny or just superficial shaves and, on the other hand, because criteria for evaluation have mostly been developed from findings in adult biopsy specimens. In children, the immune system is still in the process of maturation and, therefore, infiltrates in the skin may look different from those seen in adults; however, knowledge about that is very limited to date. Moreover, numerous rare genodermatoses may manifest themselves first in childhood and need to be considered in the differential diagnosis while experience with them is often limited. Starting from the clinical presentation, this article presents histopathological features of possible differential diagnoses in order to demonstrate the value or necessity of a skin biopsy in a pediatric patient. In addition, communication with parents and child, methods of local anesthesia and biopsy techniques will be considered.

Malignant tumours, infections caused by microorganisms or genodermatoses are diagnosed with additional help of molecular pathology methods. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), sequencing and in situ hybridisations play an important role. It remains to be seen if methods such as "liquid biopsies" or "single cell genomics" can be developed as routine diagnostics. High technical efforts, high costs and no possibility for resistency testing is accompanied by fast verification, high sensitivity and high specificity. Overall, molecular pathology results have to be combined with the clinical picture, histology or immunohistochemistry and culturing results to achieve a correct diagnosis for the patient.

Background: Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a complex multiorgan disease, which can occur as a complication following allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Involvement of the skin represents the most common appearance of GvHD. The role of the dermatologist is critical for diagnosis and initiation of treatment., Objectives: The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the cutaneous types of GvHD and to present the most recent data on diverse therapy options for its acute and chronic form allowing the clinician to establish a definite diagnosis and to initiate proper therapy., Materials and Methods: Possible clinical appearances and recommended criteria to assist in making the right diagnosis are presented by means of expert recommendations., Results and Conclusion: GvHD is still a complex entity whose diagnosis is often associated with challenges due to its variable presentation. Proper diagnosis and subsequent therapy is paramount for the optimal clinical outcome.

The cutaneous manifestations of malignancies include nonmalignant skin disorders that occur in association with malignancies (facultative paraneoplastic dermatoses) and skin disorders that are always associated with hematologic diseases or solid tumors (obligate paraneoplastic dermatoses). Paraneoplastic increase of growth factors or immunological reactions lead to a variety of inflammatory, hyperkeratotic or proliferative skin reactions. When paraneoplastic dermatoses develop before cancer is diagnosed, recognition of these skin diseases can accelerate both the diagnosis and treatment. The presence of unexplained cutaneous findings should lead to a multidisciplinary evaluation of the patient. This manuscript summarizes the cutaneous manifestations associated with hematologic disorders and solid tumors, their localization and treatment options.

Sarcoidosis is a rare multisystem inflammatory disease of largely unknown etiology. While pulmonary sarcoidosis is the most abundant organ manifestation, involvement of the skin that occurs in up to 30% of patients is the most common extrapulmonary presentation of the disease. Dermatologists therefore play an important role not only for establishing the diagnosis and delineating it from potential differential diagnoses but also for the interdisciplinary care of the patient. The clinical presentation of skin sarcoidosis is manifold, which occasionally aggravates making the final diagnosis. Specific skin lesions (with granulomas) and nonspecific skin manifestations (without granulomas) can be differentiated. Since a variety of organ systems can be affected, multidisciplinary cooperation is mandatory. Therapy of sarcoidosis is difficult; evidence-based studies and therapy guidelines are widely lacking. Our review intends to outline the characteristic clinical presentations of cutaneous sarcoidosis, describe the diagnostic approach and how to assure or exclude extracutaneous manifestations of sarcoidosis, and suggest a therapy algorithm for the treatment of skin sarcoidosis.

The histogenesis of granulomata is dependent on various cell types. The typical composition is a center of macrophages/histiocytes with lymphocytes at the border. The sequence of events leading to granuloma formation is regulated by various cell types and cytokines: While Th1-associated mechanisms promote granuloma development, it appears that regulatory T cells as well as M2 macrophages together with interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-13 lead to their dissociation and tissue healing. There is a strong correlation between structure and function of granulomas. Chronic inflammatory granulomatous skin diseases are primarily based on dysfunctional downmodulation of inflammatory processes that lead to and maintain granuloma formation.

Skin manifestations of sarcoidosis occur in up to 30% of cases. This review summarizes and illustrates in detail the differences between specific and unspecific skin manifestations of sarcoidosis. Important differential diagnoses, such as tuberculosis, cutaneous lymphoma and syphilis have to be excluded. The indications for systemic treatment are primarily determined by the extent of organ involvement and also by the cosmetic impairment.

Chronic skin diseases are a common indication for inpatient rehabilitation in children and adolescents. Atopic eczema and psoriasis play the most important role. But other rare congenital dermatoses such as ichthyoses or epidermolysis bullosa can also be rehabilitated. Patients with skin diseases are often considerably stigmatized and report a limited quality of life and participation. The somatic and psychosocial development of the children is also often severely affected by severe forms of the diseases. The concept of inpatient rehabilitation is, on the one hand, the development of an individually adapted topical therapy plan, which often follows a step concept and is adapted to the severity of the skin symptoms. On the other hand, the disease management of children and affected families is promoted. Specific skills such as dealing with itching, learning of cream and dressing techniques, as well as the targeted application of medical baths with suitable additives are taught and practiced. In addition, the motivation for an adapted dealing with the disease and specific resources is promoted in order to comply better with the considerable psychosocial burdens.The results after the rehabilitation show, depending on the basic disease, not only an improved skin condition but also an improved quality of life and participation., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)